Don't blame yourself

PIP. PIP? No way! [View Message in Browser]( / [Add Us to Safe Sender List]( WEEKLY NEWS 1.12.24 WEEKLY NEWS 1.12.24   FEATURED [How To Tame Content Tasks With These 5 ‘Cheat Codes’ [AI Not Required]]( By Jodi Harris Working with generative AI tools can help, but they aren’t the only tools to get more efficient. Here are human-created tips, templates, and cheat sheets for content strategy, management, creation, and optimization. [Read more](  SPONSORED CONTENT Seven in 10 B2B buyers worry about unethical AI. We asked 14,300 consumers and B2B buyers about trust, AI, and the other factors that make them embrace or abandon brands. Find out what they say in our new report. [Get the free report »](  MORE OF THE WEEK'S BEST STORIES [Big Brand Content Examples That Shine, Charm, and (Sadly) Bore]( by Ann Gynn Get three hot takes about content from Toyota, KitchenAid, and United Airlines. Then, delve deeper into what worked and what didn’t. [Prompts Aren’t All That: Give Generative AI a Better Role in Creating Great Content]( by Content Marketing Institute Team Knowing how to create prompts for generative AI is akin to knowing how to use HTML in the early days of websites. Find out why prompt engineering isn’t a must-have skill for high-quality content marketers. [For Better Content Leadership, Don’t Blame – Try Cultivating Instead]( by Robert Rose Don’t sabotage your year by blaming yourself or your team for something that isn’t working well or punishing everybody with an “improvement” plan. Instead, take this less-traveled path to success. [ICYMI: How To Turn ‘Meh’ Ideas Into Marvelous Content]( by Amy Higgins and Monica Norton Ever received a not-so-great content idea at your organization? Don’t despair. Follow this idea transformation framework to turn it into successful content.  A NOTE FROM ROBERT ROSE Don’t blame yourself (or anyone else) Regardless of your specific intention or word for 2024, you probably think about it in terms of fixing or improving something you think is wrong. I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had with people who vow to “fix themselves” this year. They want to do better, think smarter, feel guilty less often, or change a habit. Introspection can be positive. But it’s easy to fall into a trap, blaming yourself for where you are and punishing yourself with the equivalent of a performance improvement plan. Unfortunately, even when you focus on yourself, it’s easy to blame others, even subtly, for getting in the way. I recently worked with a client on executive coaching. As he put together his intentions for the new year, he focused on how he would pivot his style from command and control to collaboration. He wanted to become more of an operational lead than a subject matter expert, even though he enjoyed that aspect of his role. Then he said something that threatened to sabotage his plan: “A few members of my team have prevented this from happening in the past. Another goal I’ll have to take on is getting them onboard.” I’ve fallen into this trap, as many people do. Though you focus on self-improvement, you extend your analysis to those in your closest circles. You blame them (so subtly you probably don’t notice it). You forget they’re probably going through the same kind of self-reflection. You assume (rightly or wrongly) that they’ll be a hurdle to your change. Over the holidays, I read some work by philosopher Thich Nhat Hanh. This advice resonated: “When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don’t blame the lettuce. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce.” When it comes to personal growth, people are quick to blame themselves or those around them. But, as Hanh says, “Blaming has no positive effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason and argument. That is my experience. No blame, no reasoning, no argument, just understanding. If you understand, and you show that you understand, you can love, and the situation will change.” In [Rose-Colored Glasses]( this week, I explain why a cultivation approach always produces better results. Give it a try, and [let me know how it goes]( . And remember: It’s your story. Tell it well. Robert Rose Chief Strategy Advisor Content Marketing Institute Robert Rose Chief Strategy Advisor Content Marketing Institute Would any of your colleagues or friends benefit from Robert's weekly updates? Please invite them to [subscribe]( here. MORE FROM CMI Next Week’s Free Webinar: Clarity in B2B Marketing To reach professional audiences in B2B marketing, it might be worth dressing down your language. Join us Wednesday, January 17th at 2 p.m. ET, as Lacey Reichwald explains how plain language is a game changer in effective B2B marketing. Drawing from Aha Media Group's latest research, Lacey will show that clear communication is a strategic tool in engaging sophisticated, professional audiences. Attend the free webinar to learn how to identify and use the shared vocabulary of your target audience for more effective communication. [Register for free »](  Livestream Playback: 2024 Content Marketing Predictions Artificial intelligence, social media turmoil, data privacy changes, international conflicts. With so much uncertainty ahead, it’s sure to be an interesting year for marketers. In the first Ask the #CMWorld Community livestream of 2024, CMI host Amanda Subler sat down with content marketing experts Deanna Ransom, Inbar Yagur, Bert van Loon, and Ryan Brock to discuss what the horizon looks like for marketers. Catch the livestream recording to hear about what should be top of mind as you start the new year. [Watch the livestream »](  To change your email preferences or unsubscribe, visit our [subscription center.]( Copyright © 2024 Informa Connect, All rights reserved Content Marketing Institute, an Informa Connect brand 605 3rd Ave | New York | NY 10158 [Terms of Service]( | [Privacy Statement]( [informa tech]